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First, here's probably the last time that this feather and fan shawl will be able to be stretched out to show and detail. It's on the 47" needle and I expect it will stay there until binding off. The lighting isn't very good because I took this picture at about 6 in the morning but you get the idea. I'm currently at round 85. I'm still a little worried about the variegated yarn but I'm forging ahead. It certainly is pleasant to look at color wise. It's also not terribly difficult to knit. I opted for the shawl which uses two charts for the feather and fan. The two chart version has a decrease and yarn over as well as 4 purl stitches right in the center of the repeat. I sometimes am flying along on the three rows between the pattern rows and run right by the purl stitches. Generally I see them the next time around and then carefully switch them from knit to purl stitches. I'm excited to see this shawl to the finish. I think it will be a nice size and the
yarn is very lovely.
I have 106 rows to go and then the crochet bind off. If I average 2 rows a day that's 7 weeks to finish. SOAR is in less than 6 weeks. Not enough time. So that means I've gotta do more rows per day. If I can do 4 rows per day that means I can finish in about a month.
HHHMMMM. I need to do more than four rows per day at the
moment because I know there will be days when I do less and also near the end the pattern rows will probably take me close to an hour to do.
I do kind of like having a deadline though.
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In other news, I found this at the State Fair today. Right outside the goat pens. I can't help it. The clovers with the unusual numbers of leaves just shout to me.
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And then Ryan milked a cow. Jersey cows are my favorite. They have friendly faces.
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Maggie did try milking the cow too but she (the cow) kept hitting Maggie in the face with her tail.
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I just liked this cow. I don't know what kind it is. I think it's meant for meat. The dairy cows usually have a different build.
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And the reason I went to the fair today was to find out how I did. First place in the Gold Ribbon Division for
Handspun Yarn. This is the Blue Faced Leicester skein. It is a singles yarn spun on my Golding Spindle.
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First place in the general division of
handspun yarn. This is the
Qiviut/Silk singles yarn spun on my Ann Grout Acorn support spindle.
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And another First Place for Lily. I will pick all of them up from the fair on September 3rd and Lily will be retired from competition. I will actually wear her this fall. I'm so excited for that. I think next year's entry will be knit with
handspun. I need to pick a pattern and a fiber. The
Highland Triangle from
Folk Shawls is looking very attractive.
9 comments:
mmmm....I love Jersey cow milk...yum. Congrats on your prizes! More ribbons! I always find the clovers, too...I made a game of it when I was weeding in my grandparents' fields and found 13-15 that year...fun!
oh, and I did find your wish list so don't worry about that...I just needed to pay attention, I guess!
Oh my, you stole the whole state fair show!!!! Congrats!!!!
Oh jealous of all the blue ribbons! Congrats. :)
The cow is likely a Shorthorn btw. They have both milking and beef Shorthorns, but you are correct in guessing it is likely the beef making breed.
I said I thought I wanted a solid yarn for my next shawl/stole. But after seeing your feather and fan shawl I might want some of that. :)
If you like the _faces_ of the cows, why did you only take pictures of their hind ends??
Congrats, congrats, and congrats on your state fair entries. Keep hounding me, and I might enter something, too, some day...
Congratulations! Those are some mighty pretty, and well-deserved ribbons! And I'm so glad you're going to finally wear Lily - we need a picture of her modeled!
BTW, I've been meaning to ask - what needle size did you knit Lily on? I'm using #1 for the Zephyr, but the angora/silk is so thin I'm thinking a 0 at the most....
Congrats on the ribbons! Well deserved honours, nice jo!
more ribbons? go you!
holy cow!
and i've never milked a cow...*pout*
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